Travelers Championship

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I'm still kind of bummed the name "Greater Hartford Open" is gone, but it was cool to hear Jim Nantz conclude the CBS coverage yesterday with, "Hunter Mahan takes Hartford."

I suggested to Jay Fishman they call the event the "Travelers Championship at Hartford" next year. When US Bank took over and changed the name of the Greater Milwaukee Open, they decided on the "US Bank Championship in Milwaukee" as the offical name to keep the city identified with the event.

Funny thing is if our event was moved to the fall and out of the FedEx Cup like originally planned, it was probably going to be renamed the Greater Hartford Open, but of course this is much better for the state and Jaycees. I still call it the GHO...can't help it.

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The dropping of the "Hartford" has been a little easier for me to swallow because Travelers picked up the sponsorship, and they have done so much recently to move back towards their Hartford roots. Plus they have really put an emphasis into making it one of the biggest stops on the tour.

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The dropping of the "Hartford" has been a little easier for me to swallow because Travelers picked up the sponsorship, and they have done so much recently to move back towards their Hartford roots. Plus they have really put an emphasis into making it one of the biggest stops on the tour.

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You have to remember Tiger isn't the longest hitter on tour, in fact Hunter Mahan might be out driving him this year. The course is the shortest TPC, however there is so much more than just hitting it long at River Highlands.

If Tiger played in the tournament attendance would top 400k for the week.

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Still have a ways to go to obtain the 100,000+ crowds that used to be on Sundays, but it is a start.

Travelers Brings Crowds Back

June 25, 2007

By TOM YANTZ, Courant Staff Writer

CROMWELL -- The main parking lot was full and had to be closed at 12:30 p.m. Sunday. Cars were then diverted from Route 99 to the Travelers Championship's auxiliary parking lot off Golf Club Road.

Early in the afternoon some novelty stands had run out of logo golf balls and tournament flags.

"Before the tournament I had said, `We have done all we can do in terms of the field and the facility,'" said Andy Bessette, Travelers executive vice president. "I said, `Now it's up to you the fans to fill the hills.'"

They did a good job. Tournament director Nathan Grube said attendance Wednesday-Sunday "was between 225,000 and 240,000" to see Hunter Mahan win the inaugural Travelers Championship on the first playoff hole against Jay Williamson, the Trinity graduate who had a big following. Grube estimated the crowd Sunday to be about 60,000.